CRI Seal of Approval program continues to grow

DALTON, GA — A new group of commercial vacuum cleaners has been tested and certified under the Carpet and Rug Institute''s (CRI) Seal of Approval (SOA) program, which validates performance in soil removal, indoor air quality protection and reduced carpet wear, according to a press release.

The CRI SOA program now includes a total of 206 vacuum cleaners that have been submitted voluntarily by manufacturers for evaluation by CRI''s test complex, the release noted.

According to the release, when CRI introduced vacuum testing in 2001, some vacuums removed as little as 12 percent of soil and few routinely removed more than 35 percent of soil in four passes.

Today, it is rare to see a vacuum that does not achieve at least Bronze level certification — 40-49 percent soil removal — and many meet or exceed the Gold level — 55 percent of soil removal — in four standardized passes, the release stated.